Avatar: The Legend of Ritsu
by witzelsucht
Summary: Almost 60 years have passed since the war began, 60 years since the Fire Nation's betrayal. And for almost 60 years, the Avatar was hidden from the rest of the world…until an earthbender named Ritsu shows up. Will balance finally be restored? Or will the Avatar Cycle finally reach its end?
1. Prologue

A/N: Hello! This idea had been going on in my head for quite some time now, and I just couldn't resist bringing it to life here. I'll be using a mixture of characters from the K-ON! and Avatar series, along with some OCs of my own. Don't worry, I'll do my best to make use of OCs in moderation, and only when I really need to. This story is set in the world of Avatar, probably with some canon events popping out here and there as it progresses. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own neither K-ON! or Avatar: The Last AirBender/The Legend if Korra

Disclaimer applies from here on out till the end.

* * *

** Prologue**

Water.

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

There was a time when the Four Nations lived together in peace – a time when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. But everything changed with the Fire Nation's betrayal.

Avatar Rukka had just turned sixteen; he was just beginning to acquaint himself with the responsibilities that came along with his newfound identity when an ornate scroll bearing the Fire Nation's insignia was delivered to him. It spoke of a grandiose banquet to be thrown on his behalf - in honor of being designated as the next Avatar. The Fire Lord himself had planned the entire event, and would be very much pleased to be graced with the Avatar's presence. No one else from the Southern Water Tribe had received the same invitation to a banquet – not even someone as important as the Tribal Chief. Suspicions were raised, but a decision had to be made quickly, for fear of the Fire Lord's temperament that so easily matched the element he wielded. It was then settled that a handful of chosen warriors would escort the Avatar to the Fire Nation Capital. The Fire Lord would not be denied of his request.

Indeed, the Fire Lord had kept his word. An extravagant feast was immediately set in front of Avatar Rukka upon his arrival. However, it wasn't prepared as a welcome gift to him at all. On the contrary, it was prepared as one of parting. When the Avatar finally realized this, it was already too late. Beaten and bound, he was led to a cell that was specially designed for his captivity.

But the Fire Lord knew that taking away the Avatar's freedom was not enough to inhibit the power that could rise against him; so he also took away the Avatar's limbs, along with the vision of his left eye. With his one good eye, Avatar Rukka was forced to behold scenes of cruelty inflicted upon other prisoners whenever he refused to do the few tasks he was still capable of – such as eating and maintaining what was left of his health.

Day by day, in the depths of the Fire Lord's most guarded fortress, he learned several new things. He learned of the vicious war that was being waged on all nations in his absence; he learned of the ruthless assault on his beloved Tribe that nearly wiped it out; he learned of the Avatar's weaknesses and powerlessness, and despair so deep that it was unmatched to any experienced by his previous lives. Day by day he learned. Day by day he cried. No longer did he desire to master the four elements. He only desired to master his grief. He knew that there was no hope left for him, and he learned to accept that. Yet, he knew that hope did remain, for the next Avatar.

Year after year he waited for his hope to be realized. He thoroughly believed that good things come to those who wait. No matter how rarely good things come to him, particularly, he knew they'd still come. His patience paid off. It finally came.

On the 42nd winter of his imprisonment, on a snowy evening just like any other, a pearl-handled dagger was found buried in Avatar Rukka's chest. The fatal wound to his heart killed him instantly. Yet, despite the pain that no doubt accompanied his death, the only – and most peaceful – smile of the Avatar since his betrayal graced his aged face. On one of the walls of his cramped cell, hastily scrawled in blood were the words,

"Never give up without a fight."

The Avatar had finally been released.

And this time, the Avatar was going to fight.

The race to find the next Avatar had begun.

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A/N: So whaddya guys think? Please leave some feedback if you can. Expect an update soon.

Next chapter: The Child of Promise


	2. Chapter 1: Child of Promise

A/N: For those who expressed concerns regarding the category this story should be put in, thank you for your honesty. Please know that my purpose for publishing it under the normal category was to attract as many readers as possible. From experience, I could tell that stories under the normal category acquired more readers. Also, I've already noticed several other cross-over fanfiction under the wrong category. By imitating them, I was aware of breaching one of the rules of this site, but I just had to try. What may be a matter of convenience for others is a matter of purpose for me. For now, please allow me to keep this story a week longer in the normal category before I transfer it, for the sake of my defense, as well as to inform others of its future relocation.

As for other concerns such as the lack of reference to K-ON! in the prologue, this chapter might be more satisfactory to you. Please be patient, events and motives will be further explained as the story progresses.

Well, that's all. Bear with me please, for a week longer.

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**Chapter 1: The Child of Promise**

Kuraya was proud of herself.

Her first attempt at childbirth had been a success. What would have happened had she failed? Well, she'd certainly not have the warm little bundle she now cuddled protectively at her side. With the tiny figure so close to her, she could feel the slightest shifts in movement it made, and hear the softest of its sounds. She could even hear its calm and even breathing, and feel the earnest efforts of its heart to deliver the precious lifeblood to every part of its delicate body.

It was her lifeblood, too. And if she listened closely enough, it seemed like she and her little one also shared the same heartbeat.

Heartbeat.

She loved its heartbeat, for its heartbeat meant life. A life that would forever be a part of her now.

Kuraya was interrupted from her thoughts when she felt her little one stir before giving a tiny squeak. She couldn't resist giggling at the sound.

"Hush, little Ritsu. Hush, my little one…"

With her soothing voice and gentle caresses, she started singing the lullaby sung to her by her own mother all those years ago – an inheritance that had been passed down from parent to child in her Tribe for countless generations.

"_For you I feel an overwhelming love, _she began, hugging Ritsu closer to her chest._  
_

"_All the more as I hold you close.  
Though all Four Nations of the world may move, _she wrapped her hand around one of her baby's smaller ones,

_Here is my love, and here my love will stay,"_ and settled their connected hands on the region above her heart.

_"Each time I feel my fortune go adrift, _she released the tiny hand after giving it a gentle squeeze,_  
Realities like rocks poised in my way,"_

_"'Ere I feel that fearful, shuddering rift, _she lovingly stroked Ritsu's left cheek,_  
Some memory of you holds them at bay," _and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"_Daughter, your love can still my heart uplift;  
Through the years, though my spirits sway," _Kuraya carefully placed her forehead atop her daughter's,_  
Your strength and courage still my fears remove," _and lifted herself just as carefully after.

_And they will, always._

As Kuraya finished singing, she noticed the moisture streaming down her cheeks. She had started to cry, without even realizing it. After all these years, the simple lullaby still managed to bring such an effect to her. Hasn't she gotten over the death of her mother yet? Her mother was long gone – along with the rest of her family – and Kuraya herself was a mother now. Surely, she'd gotten over it already! She must, for Ritsu's sake. For her husband's sake too. She must be strong for her new family.

She hurriedly wiped her tear streaks away with the sleeve of her tunic. Still, she choked back a sob when her gaze fell on her baby. At least the lullaby's intended effect had worked on the newborn. Ritsu's tiny form lay tranquil, sleeping as a healthy baby should. She was just about to stroke her child's cheek again when the door of their humble residence swung wide open, allowing some draft from the outside to enter. Kuraya started, but was immediately relieved to see the familiar form of her husband standing tall before her. He didn't seem to feel the same way, though. Relief was probably the last thing his handsome face was going to convey tonight.

"Tarou, what's wrong?" Kuraya asked, her voice quivering as she did so. Her husband opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Realizing this, he took a deep breath before opening his mouth again, this time certain to deliver the news. Kuraya braced herself for the worse.

"Avatar Rukka is dead. Murdered," Tarou said, his voice as grim as the expression he wore. Kuraya gasped as she clapped her hands to her mouth. The news was truly distressing. Although she already expected his death to come sooner than later due to the unforgiving circumstances he was in, it still pained her to know that it was all over for him. She had felt some sort of affinity with him. After all, they both hailed from the same Tribe – the Southern Water Tribe. Did other members of the Tribe feel the same way she did? With Avatar Rukka gone, did the Tribe's remaining essence disappear alongside him? Was his death meant to act as a finishing blow to their Tribe's wobbly existence? Fresh tears stained Kuraya's face, but she quickly wiped them away.

"Kuraya…" Tarou said, breaking the brief silence. Kuraya snapped to attention at the sound of his voice. The panic, urgency and distress that blended with it…no, she hadn't heard the worst part yet. What could be worse than Avatar Rukka's death?

"The Fire Nation has already begun its search its search for the new Avatar," Tarou continued, more hurriedly this time. "We need to leave as soon as possible."

Kuraya gave her husband a confused look.

"Why? What does that have to do with-?"

And just like that, understanding dawned upon her.

"When was he murdered?" she demanded. Ritsu squeaked and shifted by her side.

"Last winter," Tarou replied, ever grim than before.

"The Avatar Cycle…"

In less than an hour, the preparations were complete. They were ready to leave.

"Where will we go?" Kuraya asked as she secured the cloth wrappings around Ritsu. Tarou fastened the saddle on his newly-acquired ostrich horse before answering her.

"Far away from here. Deeper into the forests, closer to the mountains. Some place where the Fire Nation couldn't find us," he said, his voice carrying a somewhat lighter tone this time. Subtle as it was, the change didn't escape notice or appreciation. Kuraya disliked the awfully grim tone he had used earlier. It simply didn't suit him. His cheerful, and sometimes, even playful voice was one of the many things she loved about him. If only he could keep it like that all the time. Suddenly, Kuraya hoped Ritsu would inherit the quality of his voice, along with several of his other traits: courage, strength, loyalty, optimism, humor…

And what about bending? Was she going to be an earthbender like her father? Or a waterbender like her mother? But if it turned out that she could bend all four elements…no, no! She'd rather have Ritsu become a non-bender than bear the heavy burden of the Avatar.

"Kuraya." It was the second time Tarou broke her away from her thoughts that evening.

"Come on, love. Now's not the time to be spacing out," Tarou gently reprimanded her. He motioned to the ostrich horse with his head and patted the empty saddle. Kuraya handed Ritsu over to Tarou before gracefully situating herself on top of it. The action left her husband gawking at her, his mouth slightly opened. She giggled at the sight.

"Close your mouth dear, it's unbecoming," she said lightheartedly as she reached out for Ritsu.

Tarou carefully returned his daughter to its mother before finally closing his mouth.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" he demanded as he hoisted himself onto the saddle, just behind his wife.

"More importantly, where did _you _get the ostrich horse?" Kuraya countered, yet doing so with a smile on her face.

"I, uhhh…" Tarou was now scratching his head with his left hand while the other held onto the reins. "Is that a flying fishopotamus over there?!"

Tarou's antics drew out another laugh from Kuraya. Her giggling nearly woke Ritsu up. She even nearly forgot the direness of the situation they were in. But one last look at their house before finally leaving made her remember everything again. If only she could abandon all her fears and worries just as easily as they were abandoning their house. She sighed deeply.

"Let's go."

Just behind Kuraya, Tarou's grin faded at the sound of her defeated voice.

_You always look your best when you smile…_

* * *

Ritsu was full of surprises. At the age of five, the child showed an early skill in the art of earthbending – to the delight of her father and the almost, _almost _chagrin of her mother.

The discovery took place on one particularly sunny day of spring. The vibrant hue of the clear sky, the lively chirping of the sparrowkeets perched on surrounding trees, and even the melodious calls of some nearby singing groundhogs – everything just seemed to beckon their family of three to enjoy some quality time with Nature. Ritsu's incessant whining and begging were fairly convincing too. So Tarou took a day off from patrol duty and Kuraya postponed gathering food with other women from their settlement to spend the day with their hyperactive five-year-old. However, not everything was going according to someone's liking.

"The stream?!" Ritsu exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "But that's, like, just twenty feet away from the settlement!"

Kuraya sighed at her overdramatic daughter.

"No, honey. It's twenty _meters _away from the settlement," Kuraya corrected. "That's a big difference."

With arms crossed against her chest and the biggest pout she could produce, Ritsu looked away from her mother.

"We _never _get to go anywhere."

Kuraya found the pout on her daughter's face too adorable to resist, so she gently pulled Ritsu to her lap. And made a promise she was unsure she could even keep.

"Once the war is over," she began, her slender fingers combing through her daughter's rather unruly hair, "I promise to take you on a grand adventure across the Four Nations. We'll go anywhere and everywhere you want to go."

"Anywhere?" Ritsu asked, golden eyes twinkling with hope as she turned to look at her mother. "Together with Papa?"

"Of course!"

"Then I want to go to the South Pole first!" Ritsu exclaimed in excitement. Now that took Kuraya by surprise. Why ever could her daughter want to visit a barren wasteland filled with snow? Her brow slightly furrowed in confusion as she asked, "Why?"

"I wanna meet Gran Gran, and I wanna see the pretty lights in the sky!"

Kuraya had told Ritsu several stories about her mother and her homeland – both of whom were only visible to her in the realm of dreams these days. Yet, they seemed so alive to Ritsu. Indeed, they were full of life in the stories she had told her daughter time and again. Kuraya's desire to share more stories then grew stronger, just as her love for Ritsu did that very moment.

"I just wish he'd come and end the war soon," Ritsu said, her voice suddenly taking on a gloomy tone. "He will come, won't he?"

"Who are you referring to, honey?" Kuraya asked, confusion still etched on her face.

"The Avatar," Ritsu said with all the seriousness a five-year-old could muster. Just then, Tarou entered the house with a basketful of fruit.

"Alright, we're all set!" he said happily while lifting the basket for all to see. "Let's go!"

"Yaaay!" Ritsu squealed gleefully as she jumped off her mother's lap. Kuraya was relieved to have avoided answering the question. She wasn't sure of the answer herself. But what made her want to avoid the question even more was the possibility of having the answer right in front of her. No, it was impossible! She was just being exceedingly paranoid over the whole matter. After all, Ritsu could very well be a non-bender.

Her belief was easily corrected over an hour later.

"MAMA! PAPA!" came Ritsu's frantic cries just north of their picnic area. Tarou and Kuraya exchanged worried glances before taking off to the direction of Ritsu's voice.

"MAMA! PAPA!" Ritsu called out again, the urgency in her voice increasing. Various scenes of previous encounters with firebenders flashed through Kuraya's mind as she ran. Had the Fire Nation discovered them at last? Were they going to take away her family all over again?

Tarou and Kuraya finally reached a clearing adjacent to a large foothill. The sight that greeted them upon their arrival filled them with a mixture of awe and surprise. Palms facing front on outstretched arms, her torso leaning forward to push an unseen force, Ritsu – their Ritsu – was earthbending a wave of tiny boulders rolling down the foothill's slope which were about to crush a fire ferret trapped beneath a pile of smaller rocks. It took a second longer before Tarou effortlessly got rid of the oncoming wave in one sweeping motion. Sensing the removal of the threat, Ritsu's body immediately relaxed as she collapsed to her knees. Kuraya was quick to envelope her in an embrace right after.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" she asked anxiously as she made a quick examination for any potential damage on her child.

"I'm fine, Mama," Ritsu assured her while trying to break free from her hold. Once released, she hastily went over to her father who was cradling the injured ferret in his arms.

"How is it?" It was Ritsu's turn to make her own anxious queries. The genuine concern expressed on such an innocent face filled Tarou's heart with warmth and pride. The child completely disregarded the magnitude of the act she had just performed, and instead chose to focus all her attention on the wellbeing of another.

"I'm sorry, Papa!" Ritsu cried out all of a sudden, taking both her parents by surprise. Huge tears came rolling down her cheeks, but she tried to wipe them away with her soiled hands. The tears kept coming, though, and her efforts to remove them only resulted in a dirt-smeared face.

"I – I couldn't save it," she stammered, her voice slowly giving way to hiccups. "If- If you didn't come, it w-would've…"

Tarou wrapped his other arm around his daughter and began rubbing her back soothingly in a circular motion. If anything, his actions only seemed to aggravate Ritsu.

"It would've died!" The words burst out of Ritsu as she broke away from her father's reach. "It would've died, and – and I would be the baddest earthbender ever!"

The troubled look on Ritsu's face was soon mirrored by her parents. But if they wanted to cheer their daughter up, it wouldn't do to look so dismal themselves.

"What're you talking about?" Tarou said, feigning shock as he gestured to the fire ferret still cradled in his arms. "I bet this little guy here would be thanking brave, little you non-stop, if only he could talk."

"Your Papa's right, dear," Kuraya said, kneeling in front of Ritsu to look her straight in the eye. "That was very, very, brave of you. Was that your first time earthbending?"

Ritsu nodded without removing the hand that covered her eyes.

"So you're an earthbender, just like your Papa. A brave, strong, super-cool earthbender, just like him!"

Ritsu peeked through her hand with one eye, before finally lowering it. She had already stopped crying.

"Really?"

"Definitely!" came the synchronized reply of Tarou and Kuraya. Their daughter gave them both a pointed look before giving in to a tiny smile.

"Will you help me become more like you then?" she asked her father earnestly. When no reply came immediately, she continued, "I wanna become a really great earthbender, so that I could save everyone. But now, I couldn't even save that fire ferret. When the Fire Nation comes, I wanna save Mama, Papa, and everyone in the settlement."

Tarou made eye contact with Kuraya before facing their daughter. There really was more to her than play and mischief. Earthbending and five-year-olds generally made up a poor combination, but Ritsu did display rare talent and seriousness for her age. Kuraya sighed at the thought of having to deal with more flying rocks. But the possibility of her daughter having to deal with the Fire Nation? She sighed again, deeply this time. Reluctantly, she gave her nod of approval. Even now, she knew that there was no stopping Ritsu once she had made up her mind on something. She was an earthbender, after all. Stubborn, no, _determined_ as a rock. With Kuraya's consent, Tarou turned to face Ritsu once more.

"Young student," he solemnly addressed their daughter.

Ritsu immediately straightened her shoulders and paid rapt attention to her father at the mention of her new title. Kuraya would have smiled if not for the significance of the moment to the child.

"We shall begin your training at the onset of the following week," Tarou continued. "But for now, we must tend to the needs of the newest member of our family."

The picnic ended with the discovery of another earthbender in the family, as well as an increase in its number. And it was all thanks to Ritsu.

Ritsu really was a child full of surprises. The depth of her concern for her parents as well as her potential in earthbending was just some of the many surprises she had to offer. Before she'd turned six, she had revealed the biggest surprise yet.

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Next chapter: Flight

Feedbacks are much appreciated. =]


	3. Chapter 2: Flight

A/N: I'd like to thank all those who've shown their support by reading, following, and adding this story to their favorites. And special thanks to those who left some feedback. Anyway, this particular chapter is insanely huge, for someone as lame as I am. It's the longest I've ever written! But I do hope you guys would enjoy it. =]

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**Chapter 2: Flight**

"EARTHBENDIIIIIIIING!" Ritsu yelled at the top of her voice before a cabbage-sized rock was thrust forward at the strike of her fist. The rock crashed onto a tree, shattering at the force it was sent with.

A direct hit! The imaginary firebender collapsed to his feet right away. With the beginnings of a grin tugging at her lips, Ritsu stomped twice on the ground with one foot at a time, effectively raising two more rocks of roughly the same size as the first one. With two consecutive punches from her, the rocks were sent flying in the direction of another tree. This time, only one made contact with its target.

Undeterred with her miss, Ritsu raised, and then propelled several more cabbage-sized rocks toward different targets – doing so in a quick succession. Several birds perched on achieved targets twittered angrily in protest. Ignoring them, Ritsu lifted one last rock with a stomp and – after taking a deep breath – sent it off with a whirling kick. The rock narrowly missed its aim, Ritsu completely lost her balance, and her training for the day ended with a sore butt.

With a groan, Ritsu sprawled to the ground on her belly while rubbing her aching rear. Numerous beads of sweat ran down the side of her face, but she didn't even bother to wipe them off. The pounding in her ears remained as she laid still, her muscles too tired to move. Only when she heard the light shuffling of feet did she sluggishly flip to her back. The fire ferret she had saved three weeks ago blinked at her with its beady eyes before nuzzling her cheek affectionately. With seemingly great effort, she raised her hand to scratch the area between the ferret's ears while giving it a lopsided grin.

"Did you see that, Peeko? Did you?" she asked the fire ferret breathlessly. Peeko simply cocked his head to the side as a response.

"Most of those rocks hit the trees! Papa said I need to work more on my stance and my aim, but that was pretty good, right?" Ritsu went on as she dropped her hand again to her side. Peeko replied by making clicking noises, and Ritsu nodded happily to him like she understood. Sighing contentedly, she folded her arms behind her head and silently gazed at the blue patch of sky above while Peeko curled comfortably by her side. She sure was glad she managed to find the perfect spot to carry on her earthbending training in secret, and in peace. Back at the settlement, people would scream and shout at her for every little rock she accidentally sent flying in their way or whenever they tripped on some jagged chunk of earth she forgot to even out. There were even times when, just by performing her usual "EARTHBENDING!" yell, the adults would already frown at her and shush her – and Ritsu hated being shushed. She wanted to shout out "EARTHBENDING!" wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted; because earthbending was the greatest thing in the world for her. Earthbending was what was going to help her protect the people she loved from the nasty Fire Nation. And maybe someday, if she became strong enough, she could even accompany the Avatar and help him end the war by means of her earthbending!

Ritsu couldn't wait for that that day to come. She just couldn't wait for the war to end. Because once it does, Mama was going to take her and Papa on a great adventure around the world. They would visit lots of different places, see lots of different animals, and eat lots of yummy food! They would even meet Gran Gran! Ritsu bet Gran Gran was soft and sweet-smelling too, just like Mama.

At the thought of Mama, Ritsu suddenly sat up, startling Peeko to his feet. He looked questioningly at her as she hastily brushed the dirt off her clothes.

"Mama might be looking for us now. We need to go, Peeko!" Ritsu quickly told the fire ferret. She offered her arm for Peeko to climb upon before taking off in the direction of the settlement. They were coming from the clearing where she had first discovered Peeko and her earthbending, roughly ten minutes away from home. She could make it back in seven minutes if she ran. Not much of a difference, so she ran even faster. Running was part of her training too, so running back and forth from home to her training ground as she often did wasn't much of a bother to her. Well, at least not anymore.

Ritsu was already running the length of the stream when unexpectedly, out from a clump of trees, came Mama with an earthenware jar in hand. Ritsu dug her heels to the ground at once, nearly stumbling over at her sudden stop. Without wasting another moment, she hid behind the tree nearest to her. As if somehow sensing her panic, Peeko swiftly scrambled up the tree from her shoulders to take his own cover. Calling him back would be pointless; they could probably hide better if they were apart. Heart still beating wildly in her chest, she then cautiously stole a glance at Mama. It was a close call, but it seemed that Mama didn't notice her at all. Leaning back against her tree, Ritsu released a long sigh of relief.

What could Mama be doing there anyway? Has she discovered Ritsu secret? Did she come all the way out there to tell Ritsu off for earthbending – just like everyone else did – before giving her a beating? Yes, that probably explains the jar. But when Ritsu warily turned to peek at Mama again, she was glad to find Mama bending water into the jar rather than continuing her way to Ritsu's training ground.

Ritsu gave her forehead a little slap. What was she thinking? She was silly to think that Mama had found out her secret, and even sillier to think that her kind and gentle Mama would ever scold and hurt her for earthbending. It was Mama who agreed to let Papa teach Ritsu earthbending. It was Mama who always came to her defense whenever someone complained of flying rocks or injured toes. Ritsu had allowed her fears to get the better of her. It was only right that she promised herself to never think badly of Mama ever again.

It didn't take more than a few seconds for Mama to fill the earthenware jar. Yet, she didn't leave immediately when she was through, unlike what Ritsu expected. Instead, Mama remained in place, took a deep breath, and then began a long and complex series of movements that very much appeared like dancing to Ritsu. Wide-eyed with wonder, she watched intently as two tiny water pillars of equal size rose gently from the stream, before totally detaching themselves from their source. The pillars then extended into long and elegant arcs, twisting and turning gracefully as they followed the fluid motion of Mama's slender body.

Waterbending.

Normal, everyday Mama already looked beautiful and graceful, but whenever she waterbended, these two traits seemed to increase tenfold.

Ritsu loved earthbending; but each time she watched Mama waterbend, she would always wish that she could do the same. She longed to be more like Mama too.

It took several minutes before Mama ended her bending. At the near end of her exercise, she abruptly propelled all the water upward, causing them to descend gently as raindrops. But before they even reached the ground, she instantly blew a long, steady breath directed at them. The result gave Ritsu a pleasant surprise. She had never seen Mama transform water to snow before.

Ritsu marveled at the glistening spectacle displayed before her. It was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen in her entire five-year-old life. What gave it the most beauty, though, was not the snow; it was the lonesome figure of Mama standing at the heart of the scene, smiling contentedly as shafts of sunlight filtered by the trees fell softly on her skin. Mama looked so radiant! Ritsu hurriedly tried to memorize every detail of the sight. She wanted to preserve the fleeting moment forever in her memory. There, she would keep it safe. There, she would keep it alive. When she felt that she had seen enough, she returned to her original position – the one that concealed her completely. She gave the tree a pat, silently thanking it for the protection it offered. Or she _thought_ it offered, because right after that, Mama's voice rang clearly in the crisp, mid-morning air.

"Show's over, my little earthbender. You may come out now."

Ritsu's eyes widened again, now with fear rather than wonder. Had Mama known that she was there all along? The image of the earthenware jar, this time _filled_with water, flashed in her mind. She hoped it wasn't as heavy as it looked. Gulping, she slowly revealed herself from behind the tree. She dared not look up until she was right in front of Mama.

"How'd you know it was me, Mama?" Ritsu muttered, still too afraid to look up. She nervously squeezed her hands clasped behind her back.

"Mother's instinct," Mama replied. There wasn't a hint of anger in her voice, and Ritsu could even feel Mama smiling down warmly at her. Plus, it was the first time she heard about this "mother's instinct". She wanted to know more. Very carefully, she raised her head to meet Mama's eyes, and she found out that she had been right. Mama was still wearing the beautiful smile she had put on earlier. Ritsu immediately felt her confidence return and had remembered to ask her question.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

Mama sat on her heels so that she was on level with Ritsu before answering her.

"It something that lets me know certain things about you, simply because I'm your mama and you're my baby," she replied while stroking Ritsu's head lovingly. Ritsu still didn't understand what Mama meant, but she nodded anyway. Then, she also remembered Mama's waterbending not too long ago.

"Mama," she began while savoring her mother's touch, "your waterbending's so pretty!"

Mama's smile grew wider at the praise and she pulled Ritsu close for a hug.

"I wish I could waterbend too!"

At the release of Ritsu's words came the release from Mama's embrace. She held Ritsu at arm's length and gave her a funny look. Why did Mama look at her that way? Was it something she said? Was Mama mad at her for watching her waterbend? Ritsu wanted to know why Mama acted the way she did, but she was afraid she might say the wrong thing again. That is, if she had said the wrong thing in the first place. Mama just remained quiet for a while as her gaze traveled the length of Ritsu's body, making Ritsu feel all nervous again.

"You're dirty," Mama finally said, getting up. "Let's get you cleaned at home."

Nodding obediently, Ritsu whistled to call upon Peeko before grasping the folds of Mama's plain dress. They made their way home as soon as Peeko emerged from a nearby leafy canopy.

After that particular incident, Mama hardly ever waterbended again – she was careful not to even mention it. The unnatural lack of bending from Mama over the next few days made Ritsu sad. Even her training suffered as a result. Seeing Mama's love for waterbending wane made her own attempts in bending the earth weaken. With only half-hearted efforts coming from her, the stubborn rock refused to yield to her command. Since Mama would no longer waterbend, maybe Ritsu should stop earthbending too? Besides, the consequences of no waterbending for just a few days were already apparent to her. She was just thinking about totally giving up when an idea struck her. If Ritsu could just remind Mama how fun and pretty waterbending is, maybe the love she once had for the art would come back to her! Someone just needed to show Mama some waterbending.

But who could that someone be? Mama was the only waterbender in the settlement – the few other benders present were all earthbenders. Ritsu also didn't know anyone else outside her family who appreciated waterbending as much as she did. Papa was already busy enough with watching over the settlement, and Mama was out of the question – leaving Ritsu to be the best and only choice for the job. Though she knew that only the Avatar could bend more than one element, maybe if her love for waterbending and Mama was strong enough, maybe somehow she could bend another element too. She just had to try. Mama's waterbending, and maybe even her earthbending, was at stake. Ritsu immediately set to work the very day she came up with her idea.

* * *

"Push and pull, push and pull," Ritsu chanted as her wrists swayed backward and forward along with the rest of her body. The tiniest wave possible swelled from the edge of the stream, moving to and fro to mimic Ritsu's movements.

"All right!" she cried out triumphantly while keeping her hold on the water.

It had taken Ritsu more than a month to achieve the smoothness of her current performance. It had taken her a week just to produce a tiny splash from the stream's surface! Waterbending definitely wasn't as easy to Ritsu as earthbending was. Okay, maybe it wasn't easy at all. It had required a completely different approach. With earthbending, all she needed to do was to face the rocks head-on, punching and kicking them as she saw fit. Earthbending for her was rough and simple – she liked it a lot because it matched her personality. But with waterbending, she needed to stop behaving like her usual self. Waterbending was smooth and graceful, just like Mama. So every time she would try to bend water, she would picture Mama in her mind – moving and flowing along with the water instead of going against it.

Of course, Ritsu didn't get the hang of waterbending during her first few tries, even with the help of the mental images of Mama. There were times when she felt like throwing a huge rock into the stream just to make it budge. Whenever those frustrating times came, she would tug at her memory to remember the last time she saw Mama waterbend. And just like that, she would calm down and try again. Soon enough, she was going to show Mama the results of her hard work.

Ritsu released the wave she was bending and prepared for the next move designed to rekindle Mama's love for waterbending.

"Come on, water ball…stay with me," she mumbled as she focused all her concentration on a tiny sphere of water gradually rising from the stream. When the sphere had lingered above its source for more than a few minutes, a smile crept across her face.

She had done it! Ritsu was finally ready to show her new bending art to Mama. She was just imagining the extent of Mama's would-be delight when she heard a twig snap behind her. Startled, she let go of her water sphere and turned to the direction of the noise.

"Is anybody there?" Ritsu called out warily, heartbeat increasing in speed. That was odd. She was quite sure hardly anyone bothered to visit her part of the forest. She wanted her waterbending to be a surprise, so she had been practicing in a rather secluded area upstream. The patrol men from the settlement weren't much of a problem; she knew at what time they conducted their rounds in the area, and she would easily escape their notice by hiding among the thick brush scattered there. As for Peeko, he was already lazing about near the stream's edge. Could someone have followed her from the settlement then?

Ritsu called out again, but still received no reply. She couldn't see anyone either. Yet, she had the strangest feeling that she was being watched. After staring at her surroundings for a while, Ritsu decided to drop her search. She was done with practice anyway. There wasn't any need to find whoever, or _whatever_made the noise since she was about to leave. Without turning to look back, she whistled to Peeko and hurriedly made her way back home, a mixture of excitement and fear boosting her pace.

* * *

Kuraya hummed to herself as she prepared their midday meal. She had just set the freshly cooked stir-fried cabbages – one of Ritsu's many favorites – on the table when her daughter came bursting through the door.

"Mama, Mama," she eagerly cried out in greeting before pausing to take a whiff of the food, "Stir-fried cabbage!"

Kuraya observed with amusement as the child threw repeated glances at her and the food, looking torn over some decision going through her mind. When it appeared like she had reached a decision, Ritsu wrenched her eyes from the temptation to look at her mother, a determined expression set on her face.

"Mama, there's something I need to show you. Let's go, quick!" Ritsu said as she yanked Kuraya's hand.

"Can't it wait?" Kuraya replied. Admittedly, though, her curiosity was piqued. Whatever it was her daughter wanted to show, it was undoubtedly more important – and probably more compelling – to Ritsu than stir-fried cabbage.

"No! Let's just go already. Let's gooo…"

Ritsu doubled her efforts to take her mother's hand off. For the sake of both their peace, Kuraya decided to humor Ritsu this time.

"Where are you taking me?" Kuraya asked as her daughter dragged her out the door. Ritsu gave her a charming smile before replying.

"It's a surprise."

After a couple of minutes, they had reached their destination.

"The stream?" Kuraya said, quirking a brow. Maybe Ritsu wanted to show her a fish she'd caught, or maybe she had built some sort of boat. Kuraya looked around for anything that could confirm her guess. When she could find nothing of the kind, her curiosity shifted to confusion. And when she saw her daughter position herself in an all-too-familiar stance, her confusion quickly shifted to fear.

Slowly but surely, a small wave rose from the stream, swaying to and fro along with Ritsu's push-and-pull movement. If her daughter wasn't a supposed earthbender already, she would've been proud. If her daughter had the gift to bend all four elements during a time of peace, she would've been honored to the end of her days. But her daughter wasn't just an earthbender or even just a waterbender – she was the Avatar of legend. And they lived in times that have long forgotten what true peace was like.

With the fulfillment of Ritsu's wish came the fulfillment of Kuraya's fear: She was going to lose her daughter.

She suddenly broke from her trance at the sound of Ritsu's voice.

"See, Mama? Waterbending's really pretty, so you should – "

"Who taught you that?! How long have you been waterbending?! Does anybody else know of this?!"

If not for the confusion and panic so openly expressed in her daughter's eyes, Kuraya wouldn't have noticed how her voice frighteningly increased in pitch or how forcefully she gripped Ritsu's shoulders.

Feeling shame and remorse over her reaction, she gently wrapped her arms around Ritsu and cradled her. With whispered apologies and promises to her child, she then made a hasty retreat home.

Only when all was calm and well did Kuraya silently urge Ritsu to tell her story. In the end, she asked for her daughter's word to never practice waterbending again until the proper time arrived. Instead of asking her usual questions, Ritsu simply nodded and whispered apologies of her own. Berating herself again for causing the torrent of tears earlier, Kuraya kissed her daughter's forehead before singing the lullaby they both loved so much.

Late at night, Kuraya had a pressing discussion with her husband.

"Please, Tarou… we can't hand her to the Earth King either."

Tarou turned on his heel to look at his wife squarely. Upon seeing her pleading eyes, his gaze softened.

"But Kuraya, he has the right to know. He only has the best interests of the Kingdom in mind. Whatever he decides to do with the Avatar, it'll be for the best of the Kingdom – for all three Nations," reasoned Tarou.

"_The_ Avatar," Kuraya began, her voice suddenly taking on a menacing tone, "also happens to be _your_daughter. Do remember that as her parents, we must have _her_best interests at _heart_as well."

Tarou let out a weary sigh. He rubbed his temples, already looking defeated before engaging in any actual battles.

"Spirits, she is only five, Tarou! Must we allow our desperation to drive us to place the burden of the world on the shoulders of a child?!" Kuraya burst out, her eyes shining with tears that threatened to fall. "I will not have my family taken away again!"

Tarou finally understood Kuraya's fears and anxiety. They weren't irrational as he had originally thought. She had lost her entire family – practically her entire Tribe – to the war. Not just to the Fire Nation, but to the war, too. And here, the war was forcing its way between her and family again.

Tarou wrapped his wife in a tight embrace, stroking her hair tenderly as she shed warm tears on his shoulder. She would've died years ago too, if he hadn't saved her during the raid on a small Fire Nation encampment. No, he wasn't going to lose his family to the war either. He was going to fight for them. He was going to fight for his daughter.

"All right, we'll keep her with us. We'll keep her identity a secret. I'll continue to teach her earthbending until we find a master who can be trusted. No waterbending for now – it's the last she has to master anyway. As for the other elements, we'll worry about them later."

The smile Kuraya gave him afterwards was enough to wash all his remaining doubts away.

* * *

Ritsu had kept her promise to Mama.

Although she had already taken quite a liking to waterbending, she didn't want Mama to be sad or upset because of her. If she only knew beforehand how negatively Mama would react to her bending, then she wouldn't have bothered to learn it. She became determined to stop thinking about it altogether. So it came as a surprise to her when one day, in the summer of her sixth year, she unconsciously bended a sphere of water while playing in the stream.

"Whoa!"

When Ritsu finally noticed the sphere floating in front of her, she immediately released it. She quickly scanned her surroundings to make sure she was still alone. Good. No one had seen her slip.

"That was nice…" she mumbled to herself, the feel of the bending still lingering in her hands. After a moment of deep thought, she took another glance at her surroundings and was relieved to find her privacy still intact.

"Just this once…"

From then on, Ritsu would spend a day each week in the secluded area upstream, waterbending to her heart's content. She may have broken her promise with Mama, but as long as no one found out, Ritsu was sure no harm would come.

But she was wrong. By the following fall, she was inflicted with the worst harm she could imagine – one that would scar her for life.

Ritsu bit her lower lip as she tried to keep even the tiniest of tears from falling. She was not going to cry. She was a tough kid – and besides, it wasn't her fault she got into a fight. She was only trying to defend Sachi from the bigger kids who were bullying her. If only Mama could see things the way she did…

"Still, you shouldn't have used earthbending on them. They weren't worth the effort," Mama said after hearing Ritsu's explanation. They were both sitting on the bed as Mama dabbed a wet cloth on Ritsu's face, removing the dirt that had gathered during the earlier scuffle.

"But they said I had a big noggin!" Ritsu cried out indignantly, pulling her face away from Mama's gentle grasp.

"If you're referring to your forehead, I believe it's just fine, and I love it. They were probably jealous because it looks so cute," Mama said quietly. Ritsu blushed despite herself, making Mama smile adoringly at her.

"Speaking of noggin," Mama said as she took the strip of bright, yellow satin lying by her side, "let's fix your hair. I'm already missing your noggin's cuteness."

After combing Ritsu's hair, Mama pulled back her bangs from her face and then used the satin to hold them in place.

"There. Good as new," Mama said before giving Ritsu's forehead a loud kiss. Ritsu giggled at the contact, instantly forgetting her displeasure.

"What's this I hear about a fight?" came Papa's deep voice as he entered their house. He had just arrived from patrol duty, and had probably heard about Ritsu's trouble from people he met on his way home. She had always been a favorite topic of theirs whenever they wanted to complain about their lot in life.

It wasn't fair! Ritsu knew she wasn't at fault. Everyone else but Sachi didn't seem to believe her, so it was important that she at least prove her innocence to her parents. She jumped up from bed and ran all the way to Papa, ready to give her defense.

"Muro and his gang started it! I just told them to quit bullying Sachi but they didn't listen and then they called me a freak and said my noggin was big so I used some earthbending on them."

Ritsu saw a tiny grin spread on Papa's face as he raised one of his brows.

"So…did you try the move I taught you the other day?"

"Tarou!"

Papa returned Mama's glare with a sheepish grin, ruffling Ritsu's hair as he did so. Clearing his throat, he returned his attention to Ritsu.

"Next time," Papa announced, "no earthbending on other kids."

"Tarou…" Mama interjected, piercing Papa with her look.

"Or on anyone else in the settlement, even if they deserve it," Papa finished, the latter part he said in no louder than a whisper.

"I hope we're all clear on that," Mama said with a nod of approval. Then, when Mama wasn't looking, Papa gave Ritsu a tiny nudge before whispering something into her ear.

"Next time, not in front of too many witnesses."

Ritsu beamed at Papa as he gave her a wink. That's her Papa, always on her side! She was glad to have such an understanding father teach her earthbending too.

Ritsu was reaching out for Papa to carry her when suddenly, a loud knock sounded at the door, followed by a booming voice.

"Open up!"

Ritsu was glad to have Mama come quickly to her side at the sound of the voice. It was frightening, and it seemed to cause some unease to her parents too. She wished Papa wouldn't open the door, but he did, at once revealing the intimidating figure waiting at the other side.

Standing at the threshold of their house was a tall man, well-built and garbed in matching vest and trousers of black and red. He was equipped with similarly-colored gauntlets and had a sheathed blade strapped to his back. Tattooed on one of his bare shoulders was a teardrop-shaped flame forked into a trident of three tongues that tapered upward to a point. The intense scowl on his face completed his fearsome attire. He was accompanied by two other men dressed like him, one standing at each of his side.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Papa asked politely, yet wearing a guarded expression on his face. The man grunted before grabbing Papa by the front of his tunic.

"You are to assemble with your family at the center of this wretched colony of yours," the man said with a sneer. "We have a few questions to ask."

Ritsu hated the man for what he did to Papa. She wanted to hurl rocks at him until he gave a proper apology. But she couldn't, because she was scared. She was scared because she had a feeling that the strange men wouldn't hesitate to hurt them if she caused any trouble. Instead of earthbending, she simply squeezed Mama's hand, and Mama squeezed hers in return. Mama gave her a reassuring look as their family was led by the men to the center of the settlement.

A crowd was already gathered there when they arrived. Scanning the sea of faces, Ritsu was able to find Sachi standing somewhere at the back of the crowd. Her friend smiled at her uncertainly when their eyes met. Ritsu nodded in reply, flashing to her a smile of her own. But her smile was wiped off her face when she heard the man who had grabbed Papa earlier speak up.

"Gather all the children to the front," the man commanded harshly.

Immediately, the murmurings in the crowd were silenced. Ritsu felt her own fear rise along with that of those gathered. Mama's hold around her chest tightened, tension filling the both of them. Nobody moved to obey the command.

"Do it now!" the man barked as he extracted his blade from its sheath. All around them, Ritsu could hear the sound of blades being drawn simultaneously. They were surrounded by the strange men. The people of the settlement amounted to somewhere along a hundred, while the strange men were only around three dozens. But several of those in the settlement were women and children, and nearly everyone was unarmed. Compared to the strange men who all looked trained in combat, the people of the settlement were defenseless against them.

At the brandishing of the swords, the children were quickly gathered to the front. Mama refused to release Ritsu until someone forcibly pulled her away. Pleas and cries of protest rang silently through the crowd at the separation of the young.

"Are these all the children?" yelled the man from a while ago. Apparently, he was the leader. A chorused "yes" from the crowd was heard.

"Step forward, and show me the Avatar," the leader then called out after receiving the confirmation. At the word "Avatar" the crowd broke to murmuring again, this time in confusion. Unexpectedly, someone from the crowd came forth and moved to stand in front of the children who were all lined up in a row.

Ritsu recognized the man! It was Sheng, the skinny middle-aged man who never let a day pass without shouting angrily at her. Sheng had an extreme dislike for Ritsu, and she returned it with equal passion. What could Sheng know about the Avatar? And how could the Avatar be in the settlement, of all places?

After pausing here and there for dramatic effect, Sheng finally came to a stop in front of Ritsu, and then pointed an accusing finger at her.

"This girl," he cried out with bulging eyes, "she is the Avatar!"

Ritsu gasped in shock at Sheng's claim. How could she be the Avatar? The Avatar was supposed to be a master of all four elements, extremely wise and powerful. Sure, she could earthbend and even do a little waterbending, but that was it. She wasn't a master of any element, let alone of all four elements. She wasn't wise or powerful. She was just a kid!

"I'm not the Avatar! I'm not!" Ritsu cried out defensively as all eyes turned to her. The leader of the strange men slowly approached her before examining her with scornful eyes.

"And what proof do you have for your claim, Mr. Sheng?" the leader asked Sheng coolly.

"Like I t-told you before, I-I saw her waterbending on-on several occasions!" Sheng said, obviously flustered by the sudden attention from the leader. "She could earthbend too, everyone from here knows that!"

A shrill cry then issued forth from the crowd, followed by a light stirring caused by someone pushing their way through the mass of people.

"I'm a waterbender!" Mama declared forcefully as soon as she broke free from the mass. "Her bending's hereditary!"

One of the strange men immediately restrained Mama by pulling her arms and pinning them to her back. The rough handling made her whimper softly.

"Mama!"

With a smile that sent shivers down Ritsu's spine, the leader moved toward Mama and tilted her chin upward with his forefinger.

"Ah, so you're the mother of this child," he said, giving Mama a cold and even stare. "You heard what Mr. Sheng said. He believes that your daughter is the long-awaited Avatar who'll restore balance to the world. However, it seems that you've been denied this essential piece of information. Since we of the Fire Nation very much value any information relating to the Avatar, we'd very much like to confirm what we learned from Mr. Sheng…"

"NOW!"

The leader sprung backwards all of a sudden before unleashing a violent yet steady stream of fire aimed at Mama. Several terrified gasps and shrieks were heard in the background. People held their breath in horrified anticipation as they waited for the fire to die away. And when it finally did, quiet cheers from those in the settlement soon followed. They cheered for Ritsu who raised a wall of earth to shield Mama just before the fire reached her. Ritsu released the breath she had been holding when she saw Mama unharmed.

"An earthbender, as you said," the leader said with a nod, seemingly impressed with Ritsu's skill. Again, he turned to Sheng. "If she really is the Avatar, then you shall get your reward as promised."

Sheng put on a little satisfied smirk as he glanced at Ritsu. The look on his face sickened her! Sheng had betrayed them and had led the Fire Nation to their settlement. And now he was even telling lies about her just to get some kind of reward. But then again, it was true that she could waterbend… Could Sheng have been the one who she felt was watching her whenever she waterbended in secret? If she hadn't broken her promise to Mama in the first place, would Sheng still have any reason to contact the Fire Nation? Ritsu felt even sicker afterwards. She hadn't meant for any of this to happen! She only learned waterbending because she wanted Mama to love it again. She only continued waterbending - even when it meant breaking a promise - because she wanted to be more like Mama, to feel closer to her. She never wanted the Fire Nation to invade the settlement, or to have anyone get hurt. But now, those closest to her were getting hurt. Mama was getting hurt. All thanks to her.

"And now," the leader said as he seized the scruff of Ritsu's tunic and pulled her to the side, "you shall waterbend."

A basin filled with water was placed in front of her. She looked at Mama and was pained to see the hurt and disappointment on her face. Very slowly, Mama shook her head.

"I can't!" Ritsu said firmly, her gaze lowered. "I can't waterbend!"

"Do it!" the leader roared as small tongues of fire burst from his clenched fists. "Or I'll make sure your mother gets seriously hurt this time."

The man restraining Mama then set his blade against her throat, ready to slit it open at the signal of their leader.

Panic unlike any she had ever experienced before pervaded Ritsu, causing her arms to shake uncontrollably. With great difficulty, she positioned herself in her waterbending stance, intending to create a small wave in the basin.

"P-push and pull… push and-and pull…" Ritsu muttered to herself, her wrists swaying along with her body. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she struggled to keep her movements smooth, the water would not budge.

"My patience is running thin," the leader said, his voice dripping with malice. He flaunted his blade threateningly and moved to stand beside Mama.

"I can't! I really can't!" Ritsu whimpered as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Five…" the leader began, his forefinger running down the dull edge of the blade.

"I'm trying! Please don't hurt her…" Ritsu begged, her tears already falling in torrents.

"Four…"

"Mama didn't do anything wrong! Please, just let her go," Ritsu cried as she ran to the leader.

"Three…"

"I'm not the Avatar! I can't waterbend!" Ritsu repeatedly tugged his vest desperately.

"Two…"

"Please! Please! Please! Please!"

"O –"

But before the leader could even finish his countdown, a volley of fire even bigger and more violent than the one he had generated earlier rushed at him. With his palms facing forward, he successfully blocked the fire; yet the surprise and sheer force of the attack had thrust him back a few inches.

For the next few moments, no one spoke. Ritsu withdrew her fist slowly while gazing at it with awe, unaware that all eyes were on her. Was everyone amazed with what just happened? Probably. But not as amazed as she was.

"It's the Avatar!" someone finally yelled, immediately breaking the silence.

The events that then took place after the yell all happened in a blur to Ritsu.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Mama knock the man who was restraining her unconscious, before bending a whip from the water in the basin. Pillars and other chunks of earth were raised simultaneously from the ground as streams and balls of fire were launched from every direction. The crowd began to scatter in fear and panic; some people ran into or over each other.

Then the command that made Ritsu's blood run cold rang louder than any other noise caused in the existing chaos: "Burn everything to the ground and leave no survivors! Kill them all, especially the Avatar!"

The sun had nearly finished setting – only its rays of orange and pink remained in the darkening sky. Screams of both adults and children pierced the cool evening air as the slaughter was carried out. A firebender had nearly even scorched Ritsu but he was knocked over by a huge pillar that rose beneath his feet. When she looked around to find her savior, she spotted a man crouching on the ground nearby. The man grinned at her even as the thick liquid trickled down the sword protruding from his chest. It was already dark, but the light from the burning houses was enough for Ritsu to recognize the man.

"Papa!" Ritsu cried as she kneeled by her father's side. "I'm sorry, Papa! I'm so sorry!"

"Shhh…" Papa tried to hush her soothingly before coughing up some blood. He smiled to her weakly before continuing, "You were very brave out there. You even protected your Mama and firebended…"

"I'm sorry, Papa!" Ritsu interjected with a quivering voice. "I didn't mean to be the Avatar. I really didn't!"

"I know you didn't," Papa said as he stroke Ritsu's head with great difficulty. "What's important is that you are the Avatar. I won't be able to protect you or your Mama anymore. So as your final assignment from me, I want you to use your strength to protect those who are important to you."

With the last of his energy exhausted, Papa collapsed to the pool of blood that had formed underneath him. Ritsu just wanted to stay there with him and hug him until she cried the last of her tears, but she was suddenly hoisted to her feet and was being led away from the settlement.

"Don't look back. Just keep running," instructed the familiar voice of Mama as they both ran in the direction of the stream. Ritsu was glad Mama was still okay. She wanted to ask Mama if she was hurt anywhere, but all she managed was to shed more tears. When they had finally reached the stream, they paused to catch their breaths.

"Are you okay?" Mama asked Ritsu with a voice that was unusually calm. Ritsu merely nodded as a response.

"But Papa – "

Ritsu was cut off when Mama gave her an unexpected hug. She returned it fiercely and began to shed new tears on Mama's dress. Then, she realized that something was wrong.

"Mama, there's blood on your dress!" Ritsu said in alarm as she looked up at Mama. By the light of the crescent moon, she saw Mama's tears flow down her face as she nodded silently.

"They are coming soon," Mama said while looking in the direction of the settlement. "Run to the mountains. Run from the people of fire. I will hold them off and make sure no one follows you."

"But Mama!" Ritsu cried in protest.

"Don't worry about me," Mama said with a genuine smile as she cupped Ritsu's face with her hands. "The moon will help me. And besides, I've become a lot better in waterbending because of you."

"Really?" Ritsu asked with some eagerness.

"Really," Mama said before planting a final kiss on Ritsu's forehead. "Thank you, my daughter."

The moment shared between them ended abruptly when three firebenders showed up.

"Go now!" Mama shouted before bending water from the stream to cloak nearly her entire body. Ritsu took one last look at Mama lashing her water-arms at the firebenders before turning to run downstream. But just as she was about to break into a run, a fourth firebender jumped to her front and blocked her way. He had nearly launched his attack when something from the treetops lunged at his face.

"Peeko!"

The fire ferret bit and swiped at the firebender, giving Ritsu the distraction she needed to escape. Finally, Ritsu ran as fast as her legs could carry her away from the settlement, relief and regret washing over her at the same moment.

This time, she had obeyed Mama completely. The gentle light from the moon guided her until she reached the foot of the nearby mountains. There, she found a cave to take shelter in. There, she allowed herself to cry uncontrollably. The Avatar – the hero who was supposed to save the world – had caused the deaths of all those in the settlement.

Ritsu had intended to cry in the cave all night. But she was interrupted when the walls around her began to tremble violently. She managed to wipe her blurry vision away just in time to see two huge orbs glint as they approached her. Any other time, she would have been scared. She probably would've run out the cave by now. But this time, she simply waited for the huge creature to get her while she stared in its direction with indifferent eyes.

A wall of earth rose behind her; the cave was sealed.

Ritsu wasn't going anywhere soon.

She wasn't going to let the Fire Nation find the Avatar.

* * *

A/N: The Sachi who was mentioned above is the same character found in the K-ON! manga. And just to make things clear, the mysterious creature was the one who sealed the cave, not Ritsu. I bet most of you already know what it is. Oh yeah, Mio will be making her first appearance in the next chapter. Any guesses on her element?

Next chapter: Heir to the Throne

Please leave some feedback again! They work wonders in me. X]


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